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  • Quick Guide Supplement
    • Teacher’s Supplement to Quick Guide
    • Introduction
      • Introduction
      • Introduction Q & A
    • Basic Tools and Supplies
      • Basic Tools and Supplies
      • Basic Tools Q & A
    • Getting Started
      • Getting Started
      • Getting Started Q & A
    • Preliminary Tuning and Evaluation
      • Preliminary Tuning and Evaluation
      • Preliminary Tuning and Evaluation Q & A
    • Fundamental Tuning: Tests 1-7
      • Fundamental Tuning: Tests 1-7
      • Fundamental Tuning Q & A
    • Middle Register Tunings: Tests 8-15
      • Middle Register Tunings: Tests 8-15
      • Middle Register Tunings Q & A
    • Upper Register Tunings: Tests 16-19
      • Upper Register Tunings: Tests 16-19
      • Upper Register Tunings Q & A
    • Final Tests and Musical Examples
      • Final Tests and Musical Examples
      • Final Tests and Examples Q & A
    • Wire Adjustment Chart
      • Wire Adjustment Chart
      • Wire Adjustment Q & A
    • Tone Production
      • Tone Production
      • Tone Production Q & A
    • Adjustment Techniques
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      • Adjustment Techniques Q & A
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    • Teacher’s Supplement to Quick Guide
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    • Playing in Tune
    • Contrabassoon Reed Tuning
    • IDRS Highlights 2016
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  • Part 2: Reed Tuning

    Selecting a Reed

    • Slur up tests
      • Test E2-C3
      • Test C3-C4
      • Test D3-D4
      • Test Eb3-Eb4
    • Inspection/adjustment
      • Will butt end fit on bocal?
      • Is it symmetrical?
    • Blade strength balance test
    • Tip opening/closure
    • Blow for tone
    • Wire inspection test
    • Throat inspection
    • Tip opening
    • Crow test
    • Tap test

    The Crow Test

    • reed-scrape-1-3d-ppDry crow
    • Pitch of crow
    • Split octave
    • Full crow
    • In and out crow
    • Adjustments: sanding or scraping
    • Tap tests

     

    Tests for Open F through C2
    The Big Five

    • Pitch centering
      • Play the note where it’s comfortable.
      • Check tuner.
      • Make appropriate adjustments.
    • Ear plug test
      • Hold the note in tune with tuner.
      • Plug ear.
      • Note if pitch drifts sharp or flat.
    • Stability and articulation
      • Note if pitch changes with dynamics changes (pp – sffz) and repeated articulation.

    Six Adjustment Choices

     If Sharp

    • Adjust wires: 1T/2T
    • Thin and taper the tip in the note’s zone
    • Sand blade front ¼
    • Check blade for strength imbalance
    • Loosen or notch 1st wire
    • Back off bocal/add wire
     If Flat

    • Adjust wires: 2S/1S
    • Flip or Clip?
    • Check bocal penetration; ream
    • Tighten and round wires
    • Check tip gradient/lateral taper
    • Narrow reed shape

    Tip Taper and Gradient

    tipopening-3-4-5-4-3-pp tip-dip-behind-v-pp

    Corner Bend Test

    corner-bend-scrape3-pp corner-bend-scrape3-blade-pp

    Problem Tip Openings

    tip-aperture-distortions-smile-frown-pp tip-aperture-2f-with-arrow-pp tip-aperture-distortions

    Tests for Fork Eb and D, the Nexus Note

    • Achieve balance between soft, “bare” Fork Eb and D pitch center.
    • Nexus note ear plug check (D2, D3).
    • Cross checks (relatives) for Eb:
      • C3 Harmonic
      • Ab-Bb Trill
      • Fork Bb3

    Key and Pad Stop Adjustment Points for Tuning

    • Adjust from bottom up, first open tone holes (F, G, A), then closed tone holes (F#, Ab, Bb).
    • 5mm average from pad (raised end) to tone hole.
    • Tuning tape??
    • Pad height vs. tone hole size.
    • Shim or sand paper?
    • Key and pad stop adjustment points.
    • U-Tube gasket.

    Ten Reasons to Clip the Tip

    Reasons to clip tip/shorten vibrating length (tip to 1st wire):

    • E2 is unstable at forte or pianissimo.
    • F2 is unstable at forte or pianissimo.
    • C#2 or C#3 is unstable at forte.
    • Alternate E2 is flat.
    • Won’t slur across break to C3 from open F.
    • Can’t slur up easily to F3 from F2.
    • Harmonic fingerings are still flat after working rails.
    • Pitch of regular and alternate F#3 don’t match.
    • Can’t slur up to alt high C, D or Eb.
    • The reed still plays flat after adjustments and reaming.

    Level 2: Middle Register Method

    Harmonic Convergence

    harmonic-tuning-notes2-pp

    • Compare harmonic and other test fingerings to standard fingerings.
    • Goals:
      • Match pitch of standard fingerings to harmonic/test fingerings.
      • Eliminate fuzzy articulation and croaking/split tone.
    • Tuning is accomplished by scraping or sanding in a note’s tuning zones:
      • Channels (center of channel or neighboring spine zone)
      • Rails
    • Tap test: for channel, high pitch first; for rail, low pitch first.
    • Requires back and forth adjustments between channel, rail, and spine zones.
    • Cross checks with neighbors and related tests.
    • Pitch deviation between standard and test fingerings directs adjustments.

    harmonic-notes-crooppedHarmonic Fingerings

    • Fundamental note is a 12th below the note you are comparing and tuning, 3rd partial.
    • Half-hole or register key assistance.
    • *Alternate fingering test notes.

     

     

    Pitch Tendencies in Middle Register

    • Sharp tendency notes: F#, G, Ab
      • Lowering pitch of harmonic lowers pitch of standard fingering.
    • Flat tendency notes: tuning A, Bb, B, C, C#, D, Eb
      • Lowering the pitch of harmonic/test fingering raises pitch of standard fingering.
    • Non-harmonic test notes include French E, alternate F, and F#, comparing F# standard to alternate.

     

    Level 3: Upper Register Tunings

    upper-register-notes-pp

    • Left-hand only slur up tests to identify good high note reeds.slur-ups-minimum-pp
    • G and Ab harmonic tunings are critical.
    • G fine tuning (B-G test).
    • Left-hand only A-B-C test.
    • C to Bb slur down.
    • Crosschecks.
    • Additional techniques.

    The Final Tests

    Test A final-test-1-pp
     Test B  final-test-2-pp
     Test C  final-test-3-pp

     Mark’s Reed Tool Desk

    reed-desk-toolssm

  • New Publication

    The Quick Guide to Bassoon Reed Tuning is now available for purchase from Amazon, Arundo Reeds and Cane, Charles Double Reeds, Forrests Music, TrevCo-Varner Music, and The Music Source.

    Articles

    • Amplification (2)
    • Buying Reeds (2)
    • Cane (2)
    • Reed Tuning (2)
    • Reeds (4)
    • Repair (2)
    • Technique (3)
    • Tone Production (1)
    • Troubleshooting (1)
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    For more information about the famed Bassoon Brothers, visit the Bassoon Brothers website. In addition to information, photos, and bios about the players, you'll find all kinds of trivia and fun facts about the bassoon.

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